Container cleaning machine



April 2, 1940.

l. H. RlssER 2,196,027

CDNTAYINER CLEANING MACHINE Filed nay 19 v1937 2 sheets-sheet 1 z5 Y 25/A/VENTOR.- Z6 z 7 /VA/V H. R/SSER April 2, 1940 l. H. RlssER 2,196,027

CONTAINER CLEANING MACHINE Filed Hayle, 19:57 2 sheets-sheet 2 WIll/1111 /N VEN TOR /vA/v H. R/ssE/P Patented Apr. 2, 1940 PATENTori-ICE CONTAINER CLEANING MACHINE Ivan H. Risser,

Bottlers Machinery Co.,

poration ol' Illinois Chicago, Ill., assignor to U. S.

Chicago, Ill., a. corppllcationfMay 19, 1937, Serial No. 143,440

5 Claims.

This invention relates to container cleaning machines, and particularlypertains to that class of machines having an endless intermittentlydriven conveyor for conveying transverse rows of inverted containers,such as bottles, through the machine step by step, and employingoperated cleaning apparatus contained within the conveyor for cleaningthe bottles internally when they approach a certain station.

The object of the invention is to provide such a machine of the simplestconstruction, which can be more easily and cheaply constructed thanother machines now in use, which will be most satisfactory andemcient inoperation, and which will not be liable t get object is to provide sucha machine wherein the conveyor and cleaning apparatusis so arranged topermit removal of said apparatus from within the conveyor, so thatinspection or replacement of parts of the conveyor or apparatus may bemade and then reassembled expeditiously, with the assurance that theproper relation of the I parts has been maintained.v

. Other objects and advantages will become apparent by reference to thespeciiication and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the machine of the invention,with its discharge end omitted, with parts broken away and other partsin section.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan section of themachine, as takensubstantially on the section line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 31s a vertical cross-section of the machine, as taken substantiallyon the section line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section, as taken substantially on thesection line 4 4 of Fig. 3, with parts shown in changed position.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section taken sub- -stantially on thesection line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

The machine illustrated, forming one embodiment of the invention,includes a frame comprising interconnected side-frame members I in theform of laterally spaced upright plates suitably secured on a baseframe-work 2.

Mounted on and extending between the sideframe members at the right handend of the machine, as seen in Fig. 1, is an inwardly and downwardlyinclined feed shelf 3 having partitions 4 spaced therealong formingpassage-ways in which the containers or bottles 5 to be cleaned areplaced inv upright position to be-urged by force if gravity to atransfer stationvA preparatory to icing fed into the machine. Atthestation A, the

kpartitions 4, and bottoms of the bottles extend partly beyond the shelfso as to be engageable thereunder. The guide rails 1 continue upwardfrom their portions 6 into curved portions 8 which continue inward ofthe machine into horizontal portions 9 for guiding the bottles to andcooperating to support them in horizontal position at the loadingstation B of an endless conveyor I0, to which station the bottles areelevated by suitable feeding means.

The feeding means includes a plurality'of star wheels II mounted inspaced relation on a shaft I2 which is rotatably mounted in bearings inthe side frames 'I.y The star wheels are so arranged and the shaft I2 isso intermittently driven that 'the arms of the wheels pass between theguide rails 1 upon each movement of the shaft and engagel the bottoms ofthe bottles at the station A and elevate same along the guide rails tothe station B. As seen in rotated in counter-clockwise direction, andare intermittently rotated by a power shaft I4 disposed below theconveyor I0 and rotatably mounted in bearings in the side frames I.'I'he power shaft is constantly drivenby an electric motor I5 through.intermediation of a .speed reducer I6, with the power shaft beingconnected to the shaft I2 .to intermittently advance same,- inaccordance with the spacing of the arms of the star wheels, by means ofa crank I 1 on the power shaft operating a ratchet device I8 on theshaft I2 through a connecting link I9.

The conveyor I0 is drum-shaped and comprises Fig. 1, the star wheels I Iarey a series of circularly arranged equally spaced p transverse cleats20 mounted at their ends upon ring-like wheels 2|, respectively, withthe cleats being in the form of channel pieces arranged with theirflanges extending inward of the conveyor. The wheels 2I are rotatablymounted, respectivelly, on centrally open bearings 22 secured on theside frames-with the bearings being arranged so that the axis of theconveyor will intersect the horizontal axes of the bottles at thestation B. The bearings 22 are in the form of cylindrical sections uponwhich the hubs 23 of the wheels 2l are mounted for rotation, extendingthrough openings 24 in the side frames I and terminating in lateralflange portions 25 secured on the outer faces of the side frames bybolts 26. 4

Each cleat 20 is provided with a `longitudinal row of bottle 'holders orbottle-neck-receiving with the said sections cordance with pockets 21for supporting the bottles in inverted position upon the upper part ofthe conveyor, with the pockets of each row being spaced in acthe spacingof the bottles at the station B, of receiving the bottles at saidpockets are in the form of tubular sections of res'lient material, suchas resilient rubber, which extend through openings in the cleats towardthe axis of the conveyor, and with each pocket having a lateral flange28 at its receiving end secured to its cleat by bolts 29. Thus eachpocket is capable of being flexed on the conveyor from a normal positionto a tilted position by force of momentum imparted to a bottle in thepocket as same is intermittently advanced on-the conveyor. This flexingaction of the pockets effectively prevents breakage of the bottles attheir neck portions because the vibratory action imparted to the bottleswhen conveyed is absorbed by the pockets as they are brought to restafter each movement of the conveyor.

The conveyor l0 is intermittently driven in counter-clockwise direction,as seen in Fig. 1, so that the transverse rows of pockets 21 areintermittently advanced into coaxial registration with the bottles atthe loading station B, with the operation of the star wheels l l beingtimed to feed the bottles into the pockets upon being advanced to saidstation.

Upon being fed to the conveyor l0, the bottles are advanced intransverse rows into an inverted position with their axes perpendicularto the honizontal and intersecting the axis of the conveyor, as at thestation C, in cooperative relation with a cleaner head 30 whichpneumatically removes dust or other foreign matter from the interior ofthe bottles while the conveyor is at rest. After being cleaned, thebottles are advanced on the conveyor until they assume a horizontalposition as at the station D where they are or may be removed by hand orautomatic discharging apparatus, not shown.

For driving the conveyor l0, intermittently, each wheel 2l thereof isprovided with a concentric ring-shaped gear 3l which meshes with asmaller gear 32 secured on a shaft 33 located directly below theconveyor and being rotatably mounted in bearings in the side frames l.The shaft 33 is intermittently driven, to intermittently advance therows of pockets, by the power shaft I4 through the intermediation of asuitable Geneva motion connection. The said connection includes acrank-disc 34 secured on one end of the power shaft and having a crankpin 35 which, during a quarter of each revolution ofthe power shaft, iscaused to enter and have sliding engagement within one of four radialslots 36 in the arms respectively of a star-shaped wheel 31 secured onone end of the shaft 33, and which to advance said shaft a quarter of aturn during its engagement with the crank pin. The Whel 31 is positivelyheld after each advance of 33 by a concentric camdwell formation 38 onthe crank-disc being snugly received within one of the peripheralconcavities 39 in the wheel. The gears 3l and 32 are so proportionedthat, upon each quarter turn of the shaft 33, the conveyor will beadvanced an amount in accordance withthe spacing of the rows of pocketsthereof.

The cleaning head 3U comprises an elongated air-suction manifold 40disposed within the conveyor and extending longitudinally therethrough.The said manifold is rectangular in cross-section and along its top wallis provided a row of air-intake connections 4l in the form of upwardlyflaring funnel-shaped extensions. The said extensions are spaced to becoaxial respectively with a and are of such size to tightly receive thefree or lower ends of the pockets for providing a. communicatingconnection between the pockets and the manifold during the cleaningoperation, later described.

Extending freely and longitudinally within the manifold 40, and suitablysecured thereto, is an air-pressure manifold 42, in the form of a pipehaving vertically extending air-pressure nozzles 43 which freely projectcoaxially through the air-intake connections 4I to extend upwardtherefrom for directing jets of air under pressure into the bottles atthe station C. To this end, the manifold 40 is mounted for movement toraised and lowered positions, and is so operated to cause the nozzles 43to project into the bottles at the station C, and to cause the airintakeconnections 4l to be pressed into engagement with the lower ends of thepockets supporting the bottles, after each advance of the conveyor asseen in Fig. 4. A Each pocket 21 is counter-bored to provide an internalconical seat 44 in the free end thereof upon which the mouth end of abottle supported in the pocket is adapted to rest in sealed connectionwith the pocket when at the station C, with the neck portion of thebottle being slidably received within the enlarged bore portion 45 ofthe pocket so that the bottle may be easily fed into the pocket andremoved therefrom. Thus the pockets provide seals between the bottlessupported thereby and the air-intake connections 4| that are capable ofbeing flexed into register with the air-intake connections when engagedthereby, in the event the pockets are slightly out of register with theconnections when the cleaner head is raised, or in the event the pocketsdiffer slightly in length The ends of the manifold 40 extend through theopenings of the bearings 22 of the conveyor l0, with one end having avent opening 45a adapted to be open to atmosphere, and the other end ofthe manifold being connected by a flexible conduit 46 with a source ofvacuum comprising a vacuum pump 41 driven by a motor 48, with the pumpand motor being mounted on a bracket 49 of one of the side frames l.Thus suction will be estabished at the connections of the manifold 40 byforce of air being drawn through the manifold from its vent opening. Thevent opening 45a is slightly larger in area than any one of theconnections 4I, so that when the manifold is in raised position with itsconnections engaging the pockets, the velocity of the air passingthrough the manifold will be substantially greater than that of the airpassing into the manifold through its connections, thus preventing thepossibility of the manifold becoming clogged by foreign matter drawnfrom the bottles. uniform degree of suction at the connections 4l,within the manifold 40, said manifold is formed to gradually increase inarea as it continues from its connection nearest its vented end to itsconnection nearest its other end. 'l`

manifold 42 has one end closed as at 50, with its other end extendingthrough the vent opening of the manifold 40 and being connected by aflexible conduit 5| with a source of air-pressure comprising a. pres- 1The air-pressure row of pockets at the station C, 5

To establish a substantially 6I sure pump 52 driven by a suitable motor53, diagrammatically shown in Fig.' 3. A common type of plunger operatedvalve is provided in the inlet end of the manifold 42, as seen at 54,for controlling the flow of air in the manifold, so that air will beadmitted to the nozzles thereof when they-approach their raised positionwithin the bottlesV at the station C. To this end, the valve has aspring-pressed valve operating plunger 55 normally maintaining the valveclosed when the cleaner head is in lowered position, with the plungerarranged to be depressed for opening the valve when the head is inraised position by engaging a stationary stop 56 mounted on one of theside'frames I.

For mounting the manifold 40 for movement to raised and loweredpositions, each endof the manifold projects through and is secured on acentrally open cross-head 51 which is mounted for vertical reciprocationbetween gibs or guideways of spaced guide portions 58 of a bracket 59detachably mounted on each bearing 22 of the conveyor I0. Eachcross-head has a sliding pivotal connection, as at 60, with the free endof a horizontally disposed lever 6| fulcrumed at 62 on each side frameI, with the levers being 1oscillated in unison, to effect. the raisingand lowering of the cleaner head, by having operable connection with thepower shaft I4. To this end, each lever is pivotally connected with oneY end of 'a connecting link 63 whose other end is into the'connections4I at pivotally connected with a crank 64 secured on each end of a jackshaft 65 rotatably mounted in bearings in the side frames I. The jackshaft 65 is driven in unison Awith the power shaft, so

as to effect the raising and lowering of the cleaner head in propertimed relation with move'- ment of the conveyor, through theintermediation of a pair of sprocket chains 66 which are trained overpairs of sprocket wheels 61 and- 68 respectively secured on the powershaft and jack shaft. y

Each bracket is in the form of a disc with a central slot 69 between itsguide portions 59, through which slot `the manifold 40 projects formovement to raised and lowered positions. Each bracket is snuglyreceived within a concentric annular depression or recess 'l0 in theouter end of each bearing 22, with the brackets being secured to thebearings by bolts 1| which freely pass through bolt holes 'l2 in thebrackets to be threaded into the bearings. The bolt holes 'l2 areslightly larger in diameter than the bolts 1I, so that, by loosening thebolts, the brackets may be slightly rotated on the bearings 22 foradjusting the nozzles 43 and the connections 4| of the cleaner head inregister with the pockets at the station C of thev conveyor.

The openings of the bearings 22 are of such size as to' permit theremoval of the cleaner head therethrough from within the conveyor,inorder that the cleaner head and the conveyor may be inspected for repairfrom time to time with the least amount of eiort.'

The cleaning operation is as follows.

With the cleaner head in raised position and in engagement with thepockets at the station C, air is admitted into the bottles from thenozzles 43 under pressure of the pump 52, and then is caused tocirculate through the bottles in the pockets and out through the necksthereof and a velocity practically dependent upon the pressure of thepump, without being influenced by suction in the manifold 40 untilentering therein, because of the ventopening provided in the end of themanifold. Thus air is positively forced into the bottles and positivelywithdrawn therefrom without the possibility of suction in themanifold-40 so countering the pressure of the pressure pump as to limit the areain which the air will circulate in the bottles, and whereby the removalof dust or other foreign matter from the bottles is assured.

It may be stated that the capacity of the pressure pump 52 is such thatit will not overcome the pull of the vacuum pump 41 upon the manifold 40during the cleaning operation and cause the dust or foreign matterremoved from the bottles to be blown out through the vent-opening of themanifold.

To prevent contamination of the cleaning operation by dust or otherforeign matter ejected from the exhaust port of the vacuum pump 4l, anyform of a dust collecting trap may be attached to the exhaust port, suchas that diagrammatically illustrated at 13, and may be in the form of acloth bag or the like.

'I'he bottle feeding or loading means herein disclosed forms generallythe subject-matterof my Patent No. 2,128,192 of August 23, 1938.

The rubber bottle holders or pockets herein disclosed form generally thesubject-matter of my Patent No. 2,105,795 of January 18, 1938.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In apparatus of the class described, means to support aplurality ofcontainers, and'me'ans .for circulating air through the supportedcontainers to clean same including an elongated airsuction manifoldhaving a row of air-intake con nections spaced therealong arranged andadapted to be connected withthe containers respec' tively to withdrawair therefrom, a source ofv vacuum connected with one end of themanifold to establish a suction in the connections, and the manifoldhaving its other end provided with an opening open to atmosphere andbeing greater in area than that of any one of the connections forcausing air to iiow through the manifold from said opening at a greatervelocity than that of the air being drawn into the manifold through theconnections from'the containers for prevent-y ing cloggage of themanifold by foreign matter drawn therein from the containers.

2. The combination with a conveyor arranged to convey a bottle with anextended neck in inverted position to a given station and having anopen-ended pocket adapted to snugly receive the neck of the bottle, saidpocket being of resilient material and arranged to have sealingengagement with the neck of the bottle and to be capable of tilting onthe conveyor `from a normal position by force of momentum imparted tothe bottle therein'upon said movement of the conveyor, of means forcirculating a iiuid cleaning medium through the bottle to clean samewhen at said station including a reciprocable fluidconducting memberarranged and adapted to have sealing engagement with the bottom end ofthe pocket to conduct the fluid from the bottle therein and to hold thepocket in its normal position on Ythe conveyor during the cleaningoperation.

3. 'I'he combination with to intermittently advance a succession ofbottles with extended necks in inverted position to a given station andincluding open-ended pockets adapted to snuglyreceive the necks of thebottles, each pocket being of resilient material and arranged to havesealing engagement with the neck of the bottletherein and to be capableof tilting from a normal position on lthe conveyor by force of momentumimparted to the bottle upon each movement of the conveyor, of means forcirculating a fluid cleaning medium through a bottle to clean same whenat said station including a reciprocable fluid cleaner head arranged atthe station having a nozzle movable to a position centrally within thebottle for directing the fluid therein and a fluid-conducting memberconnected with the head arranged and adapted to have sealing engagementwith the bottom end of the pocket to conduct the uid from the bottletherein and to hold the pocket in its normal position central with thenozzle.

4. The combination with a conveyor arranged to intermittently advance asuccession of bottles with extended necks in inverted position to agiven station and including open-ended pockets adapted to snugly receivethe necks of the bottles, each pocket being of resilient material andbeing formed and arranged to have sealing engagement with the neck ofthe bottle therein and to .be capable of tilting from a normal positionon the conveyor by force of momentum imparted to the bottle upon eachmovement of the conveyor, of means for circulating a fluid cleaningmedium through the bottle to clean same when at said station including afluid cleaner head movable to raised and lowered positions below thepocket at the station and having a nozzle arranged to enter the bottlecentral therewith for directing the uid into the bottle and having afunnel-shaped fluid-conducting member arranged to engage over the bottomend of the pocket to conduct the fluid from the bottle therein and tohold the pocket central with the nozzle when the head is in its raisedposition.

5. The combination with a conveyor arranged to convey a succession oftransverse rows of bottles with extended necks in inverted position to agiven station and having open-ended pockets adapted to snugly receivethe necks of the bottles, said pockets being composed of resilientrubber and being formed and arranged to have sealing engagement with thenecks of the bottles therein and to be capable of tilting from a normalupright position on the conveyor by force of momentum imparted to thebottles therein upon said movement of the conveyor, of means forcirculating air through a row of bottles when at the said stationincluding an elongated airsuction manifold arranged under the pock'etsat the station, said manifold being movable to raised and loweredpositions and having a row of funnel-shaped air-intake connectionsadapted and arranged to engage over the lower ends of the pocketsrespectively to withdraw the air from the bottles and to hold thepockets in their normal positions on the conveyor when the manifold isin its raised position, a source of vacuum connected with one end of themanifold to establish a suction in the connections, and the manifoldhaving its other end provided with an opening open to atmosphere andbeing greater in area than that of any one of the connections forcausing air to fiow through the manifold from said opening at a greatervelocity than that of the air being drawn into the manifold through theconnections from the bottles for preventing cloggage of the manifold byforeign matter drawn therein from the bottles.

IVAN H. RISSER.

